


Ever the Hero

by PlanetClare



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, New Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics), Wintershock - Fandom
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Bionic Arm, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes-centric, Cybernetics, F/M, Friendship, Heroes & Heroines, Kindness, Supportive Bucky Barnes, Supportive Darcy Lewis, Trust, Trust Issues, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, WinterShock - Freeform, bucky barnes to the rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-03-13 20:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13578567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlanetClare/pseuds/PlanetClare
Summary: Bucky Barnes comes to the aid of Darcy Lewis, who suddenly finds herself in distress.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> © 2018 Planet Press
> 
> The Marvel characters herein are the property of Marvel Comics which retains the rights. The character of Mr. Higgins is a creation of this author.

Squatting in front of a newsstand’s lowest shelf one evening, Bucky surveyed the periodicals looking for the latest issues of motorcycle magazines. He had named his Harley-Davidson “Winifred” after his beloved mother and liked to keep abreast of tips for keeping it in the best running condition.

“I’ll take these,” he said to the elderly vendor as he placed two magazines on the counter and reached into the back pocket of his jeans to retrieve his wallet.

Hearing thunderclap, Bucky gazed up at the cloudy sky. A drop of rain fell onto his left cheek, so he pulled the bill of his black baseball cap further down on his brow as he waited for the vendor to bag his purchase and hand him his change.

“Thanks,” said the soldier as it began to rain. He turned up the collar of his black knee-length coat and was about to begin his walk home when he heard a commotion behind him.

“Look out!” a woman screamed a few feet away.

Turning quickly, Bucky saw a speeding car narrowly miss hitting a young woman in the crosswalk. Stumbling backward, the girl fell and hit her head.

Racing to offer assistance, Bucky knelt to check the extent of the girl’s injuries.

“Miss, are you okay?” the concerned soldier asked.

“I...I guess so,” she said as she sat up and looked around. She tried to stand, but he would not let her.

“No! Don’t move. You hit your head and need an ambulance.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted and tried once again to rise.

An older woman wearing a blue coat and red hat held her umbrella over the young woman as Bucky steadied her.

Staring at the young woman for a moment, Bucky realized that she looked familiar.

“Aren’t you Darcy – Jane Foster’s assistant?” he asked the lovely brunette.

“Yeah,” she replied rubbing her head and adjusting her grey toque as she gazed into the soldier’s large blue eyes.

“Hey, I know you! You’re – ”

“You need medical assistance,” he blurted out afraid that she was about to reveal his identity.

“I told you – I’m fine. I just want to go home,” she declared.

“I still think you need a medic, but at least let me see you home,” offered Bucky.

Darcy felt that the soldier must think she is a helpless woman, but she knew that she was anything but that.

Giving in nonetheless, she reluctantly agreed, “Oh, all right.”

Bucky handed his magazine bag to Darcy, removed his coat, and wrapped it around her.

“Great. Now I look like hand rolled Sushi,” she deadpanned.

Ignoring her attempt at humor, he asked, “Which way?”

“Two blocks,” she replied pointing down the street in the direction opposite of where Bucky was walking when he first heard the commotion.

Effortlessly, he scooped her up in his arms and began to carefully cross the wet street.

“Wait! Honey, do you know that man? Maybe I should take you instead!” the woman suggested.

“It’s okay! I know him from ‘work,’” Darcy replied over Bucky’s right shoulder.

As the rain intensified, the sure-footed soldier soon became soaked.

“It’s this one,” Darcy said as they reached her apartment building.

Bucky climbed the steps and set her down at the front door.

“Where’s the key? Where’s the stupid key?” Darcy asked herself as she fumbled through her small purse. “Ah! Here it is,” she proclaimed when she finally produced it.

The two quickly stepped into the foyer and began to shake off the rain.

“Thanks, ‘Winter.’ You really _are_ a hero,” she remarked.

_‘Winter?’_ he thought. “Don’t mention it,” Bucky replied.

Looking up at the soldier, Darcy saw that he was drenched.

“Oh, man...you must be freezing! “We’ve got to get you out of those wet clothes and warm you up.”

“No, I’m fine. I just wanted to make sure you got home safely.”

“I told you – I’m good,” she said before turning and taking a misstep. “Whoa!”

“You’re fine when I say you are,” the soldier informed her as he reached out to steady her and stop her from falling.

“Which one?” he asked looking at the apartment doors.

“That one up there,” she replied pointing to a door near the top of the stairs.

Before she could take another step, he once again scooped her up and began climbing.

“Hey!” she exclaimed.

When they reached her apartment, Bucky put her down again and she selected the key to open the door.

“You’re not going to carry me over the threshold, are you?” she smirked as she pushed the door open.

Motionless, he stared at her from under the bill of his wet baseball cap.

‘A girl can try, can’t she?’ she thought as she walked in ahead of him.

Bucky closed the door behind them and looked around. It was a small apartment but still larger and much brighter than the bachelor pad in which he lived. There was not much furniture, but framed pictures hung on each wall and a vase filled with fresh flowers rested on the tiny kitchen table. The floral curtains looked hand sown and the small lamps on the end tables at either side of the diminutive blue sofa were clearly secondhand.

He could tell that the young assistant was barely making ends meet on the meager salary that her boss Jane could afford to pay her out of their research grant money.

Removing Bucky’s coat, Darcy shook rain from it and hung it on a hook on the back of the door. She placed her purse on an end table, removed her Taser from it, and laid it nearby. Then, she turned up the thermostat but it did not come on.

Walking past the soldier, Darcy knelt and pressed the ON switch on a space heater which stood next to a small writing desk.

“Sorry, but the furnace in this place doesn’t always work,” she confessed sheepishly. “This little guy keeps the living room a bit warm, though,” she said of the space heater.

“I’m used to the cold. Why don’t you just ask your ‘super’ to fix the furnace?” Bucky asked as he removed his wet baseball cap and shook it out.

“He’s tried, but it’s an old building. That’s why rent is cheap.”

Noting again how soaked Bucky was, Darcy felt guilty about having accepted his coat.

“You need to take off those wet clothes,” she advised.

Walking to a cabinet next to her bedroom, she pulled out a white towel and handed it to Bucky.

“Here. Dry off with this, and I’ll take your clothes downstairs and dry them.”

“I’ll take care of my clothes. You need to rest,” he insisted.

“Okay, okay! I’ll go lie down,” she promised picking up her Taser as she walked toward her bedroom.

“No! You can recline but whatever you do, DO NOT put your head down!” he declared.

“Why not?” she asked curiously.

“Because you have a blunt force blow to the head and could have a concussion. If you lie flat, blood could pool in your brain,” he advised.

She stared at him for a moment.

“Wow...that’s pretty hardcore, Winter. You’re scaring me.”

“I don’t mean to scare you; I just want you to be careful,” he remarked.

Blushing, Darcy removed her grey toque and then her matching sweater. Suddenly, she noticed that Bucky was staring at her.

“What?” she wondered.

“Do you mind if I...?” he asked cocking his head toward the bathroom.

 Smiling, she quipped, “Are you shy?”

“No, it’s just that I drank a lot of coffee today.”

“Oh, sure! Help yourself,” she offered and watched as he walked into her small bathroom.

In the bedroom, Darcy changed into a light blue t-shirt and navy sweatpants and sat on her bed.

* * * * * *

After a few moments, Bucky emerged wearing only his white briefs and the towel around his shoulders.

“You know, they make those in color now,” Darcy joked gazing down at his underwear.

“Yeah, I’m a little old fashioned. What can I say?” he remarked shyly.

“Now will you let me dry those?” she asked pointing at the clothes in his arms.

“They’re not that wet. They’ll dry by the space heater. Promise.”

“If you insist,” she relented.

Rising, she once again walked to the hall cabinet.

“Here. Wrap this around you,” she offered handing the soldier a blanket.

“Thanks,” he said and then returned to the living room.

“Can I get you anything?” she offered following behind him.

“No, I’m good. I’ll be in here if you need me.”

Darcy watched as Bucky took the two chairs from her kitchen table and placed them in front of the space heater. He then draped his wet pants over one chair and his shirt over the other.

“Well, I’m going to relax for a bit,” she remarked as she stood watching the soldier. “You know, I’ve got an electric blanket if you’d like to...join me...”

“No, really...I’m fine,” he said as he wrapped himself in the blanket and sat on her sofa.

‘Yeah, you’re definitely in the ‘Friend Zone,’ Darcy,’ she thought to herself. ‘Go lie down before you make a _complete_ fool of yourself.’

In the bedroom, Darcy plumped three pillows and reclined against them. Turning on her electric blanket, she switched off the light on her nightstand and settled in for a nap.

“Goodnight, Winter!” she called to Bucky.

He chuckled softly and replied, “Goodnight, Darcy.”

*  *  *  *  *  *

Lying on the sofa for a few hours, Bucky was unable to sleep. He was concerned that Darcy may have suffered a slight concussion and did not want anything to happen to her while he slept. He noted that she was right when she said that the small space heater did not provide much warmth but with his clothes in front of it, most of the heat could not circulate in the living room.

Darcy had not stirred, so Bucky decided to check on her. He sat up and wrapped the blanket around himself. Rising, he first walked over to the space heater to test his clothes and found that they were almost dry. Then, he quietly approached Darcy’s bedroom and peeked in on her.

Silently, he stood in the doorway and watched the lovely brunette as she slept. He studied the way her chest rhythmically rose and fell with each breath and the way her long hair cascaded over her breasts. Her pouty red lips were slightly parted as if she were about to speak.

Bucky did not want to encroach upon her, but suddenly the sight of her electric blanket became more attractive to him. Crossing to the other side of the dim room, he removed the blanket, placed it at the foot of the bed, and quietly slipped under the covers. With his back to Darcy, he smiled as the warmth of the electric blanket enveloped him, and he quickly fell asleep.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Two hours later, Bucky was awakened by the sound of his stomach growling. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was 5:00 and remembered that he had not eaten dinner the night before.

‘It sounds like I swallowed a bobcat,’ he thought.

Sitting up, he slipped from under the covers and leaving the bedroom, he walked to the kitchen to see if there was anything he could eat. En route, he noticed that Darcy’s furnace had finally come on while they slept, so her apartment was now warmer than when he first left the living room.

Opening the refrigerator, Bucky was disappointed by what he saw. It was virtually empty except for a bottle of ketchup, one of mustard, three bottles of Snapple, and a box of leftover Chinese food.

In the bedroom, Darcy stirred. Not remembering the night before, she was startled to see a soft glow of light in her living room. Curious, she rose from her bed, grabbed her Taser from the nightstand, and tiptoed out of the room to investigate.

Darcy’s jaw dropped when she saw the figure of a man squatting in front of her opened refrigerator.

Just as she was about to Taser him, he said, “This thing’s emptier than _my_ fridge. Don’t you ever eat?”

“Winter?! How did you know I was standing here?” she asked as she hid the Taser in the pocket of her sweatpants.

“I heard you coming and saw your reflection in that Snapple bottle,” he stated plainly as he pointed to one of the beverages.

“I don’t...I don’t really cook,” she confessed. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” replied Bucky and as if to prove it, his stomach growled loudly as he opened the box of Chinese food and inspected its contents.

Tucking her hair behind her left ear, she offered, “I could heat that up for you.”

“No, actually I think I should get going. You seem to be better,” he remarked.

As he put the box of leftovers back on a shelf, Darcy noticed something about the soldier.

“What’s this?” she asked as she touched a tiny button where his neck meets his left shoulder.

“NO!” he yelled as he stood.

The two watched as the illusion of flesh disappeared from Bucky’s left arm and the metal of his cybernetic prosthesis shone through.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t know what it was,” she apologized.

Bucky felt embarrassed and could not meet her gaze.

“It’s...really remarkable,” she whispered in awe.

Realizing that he must feel uncomfortable, she wanted to make his arm change back.

‘The whole world is afraid of him but deep down, he’s really a gentle guy,’ she thought.

When Darcy reached up toward his left shoulder, Bucky took a step back and slowly hid his arm behind his back.

“Dude, I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” she said.

Leaving the refrigerator door open, he walked to the living room and began to dress.

‘You really screwed up this time, Darcy,’ she scolded herself. ‘Now, he’ll never speak to you again.’

“Is there anything I can do?” she asked desperately.

“Get some rest and remember – don’t lie flat,” he advised without looking at her.

After putting on his coat, he removed a pair of gloves from its right pocket which he had tucked into it the day before. He slipped on the gloves to hide his metal hand rather than to shield himself from the cold.

As he opened the door of her apartment, Darcy made one last attempt to apologize.

“Winter...?”

“Take care of yourself, Darcy,” he said and closed the door behind him.

Darcy stood staring at the door for several moments before noticing that he left his bag of magazines next to her purse. Sadly, she returned to her bedroom and climbed into bed. Feeling horrible about the way the day was beginning, she tried to go back to sleep so she did not have to think about what just happened.

*  *  *  *  *  *

When Darcy rose at 7:00, the sun had broken through the clouds and was casting bright shards of light through a gap in the bedroom curtains.

As she showered and dressed, she tried not to think about Bucky and instead focused on what to do about breakfast.

Dressed in a beige turtleneck and brown pants, Darcy pulled her grey toque over her head and slipped into a brown jacket. She sighed heavily as she slung her purse strap across her body, took her keys from a hook by the door, and touched her jacket pocket to make sure that she had tucked her Taser into it.

Stepping into the hallway, she was met by her superintendent – an elderly man dressed in a blue and white plaid shirt and worn blue jeans.

“Good morning, Miss Lewis,” greeted the man as he used his right index finger to push his glasses higher on his nose.

“Good morning, Mr. Higgins. How are you?” she asked as she stopped to speak.

“I can’t complain. You know, that’s _some_ boyfriend you’ve got there, young lady,” he remarked.

Confused, she thought for a moment.

“My _‘boyfriend?’”_ she wondered.

“Yes, the young man with the dark hair and blue eyes. I ran into him as I was coming out of my apartment. He really cares about you, you know.”

“He _does?”_ she asked with her interest piqued.

“Yes, indeed. He paid me to have an expert come in to repair your furnace, and he asked me to check in on you – said you had a little spill yesterday.”

“Wait...he did _what?”_ she asked confused.

“He asked me to check in on you – ”

“No, the first part!” she interrupted.

“Oh, he paid me to have your furnace fixed,” he repeated. “Gave me extra to make sure it’s done _today.”_

Darcy stared in wonderment at her superintendent as this revelation sank in. When Bucky left her apartment a few hours earlier, she was certain that he was so upset that he would never speak to her again. She was now stunned to learn that he was concerned enough about her welfare to have her furnace fixed and ask that she be checked on.

“I...I don’t know what to say,” she stammered.

“He’s a bit on the intense side, but I think he’s a keeper. Trust me. I can always tell about these things,” the elderly man advised with a fatherly wink. “May I let the repair man in when he gets here?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, of course!” Darcy agreed as his question snapped her back to attention.

“All right, then. You have a good day and be careful out there, young lady,” the grey haired man said as he proceeded down the hallway.

“Thanks, Mr. Higgins. You, too!” she chirped as she walked in the other direction.

Outside, Darcy descended the front steps of her building and walked down the street. On her way to breakfast at a local diner, she felt her mood brighten. She was still angry with herself for making Bucky feel self-conscious but was relieved that he apparently was not upset with her.

Darcy knew that although people widely feared and mistrusted him, Bucky was a good man. She smiled at the thought that somewhere in the city – perhaps somewhere nearby – lived a misunderstood soldier who was her guardian angel. Of this, she was certain because she had looked into his heart and saw the hero within.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky has an unexpected encounter at the farmer’s market.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Yolanda because she wanted more.
> 
> The character of Melanie is a creation of this author.

On almost any Tuesday that he was not on a mission or doing research for one, Bucky would go to the local farmer’s market. He enjoyed perusing the stalls to see what was new from the city gardens and trying the free samples that some of the vendors offered. 

Slowly strolling through the market dressed in worn jeans, biker boots, a black t-shirt and denim jacket, he pulled the bill of his black baseball cap lower on his brow.

Soon, Bucky found himself standing in front of a fruit stall and smiled as the vendor approached him.

“Good morning. Anything in particular you’re looking for today?” the older man asked over the chatter of the crowd and other vendors touting their wares.

Noticing the plums, Bucky asked, “How are your plums today?”

“The plums are good. These right here are ripe,” he replied pointing to a stack closest to him. Handing Bucky a small basket, he said, “Why don’t you give ‘em a try?”

Bucky accepted the basket with his left hand and began to examine the plums. He gently squeezed one with his right hand and placed it in the basket. Looking at the mound of plums, he spied another one that looked enticing. He picked it up and as he placed it in the basket, he saw that the first plum that he selected was now missing.

Surprised, Bucky looked down at the ground before checking the basket for a hole. Seeing that the basket was intact, he placed the second plum in it and picked up another one. As he placed the third plum in the basket, he noticed that the second one had also disappeared. Confused, he once again checked the ground and then the basket.

Bucky knitted his brow as he examined the plums again now determined to discern what had become of the other plums.

As he picked up a plum and moved to place it in the basket, he palmed it instead of letting it drop. He then lowered his head and from the corner of his eye, he saw a small, pale hand reach into the basket expecting to find another plum there.

Turning to his left, Bucky smiled broadly and exclaimed, “Darcy?”

“Hey they, soldier. How’s it hangin’?” she quipped.

“What are you doing here...other than stealing plums?” Bucky asked.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” she replied before biting into one of the plums.

“I come here sometimes when...you know...”

“When you’re not saving the world,” she said nodding her head.

Bucky stood for a moment smiling down at her admiring her rosy lips and her long brown hair as it cascaded from under her pork pie hat.

She put the uneaten plums back into his basket and grinned back at him.

“I want to thank you for what you did,” she said suddenly becoming serious.

“What I did?” Bucky wondered.

“Paying my ‘super’ Mr. Higgins to have my furnace fixed.”

“It was nothing,” the soldier said dismissively.

“Man, that was HUGE! I mean, who _does_ that?” an animated Darcy exclaimed.

Turning away from her to face the vendor, he said, “I’ll take these – and the one she’s eating.”

As the vendor took the basket and a $20 bill from Bucky, Darcy said, “Anyway, I’d like to repay you for that...somehow.”

“For what?” the soldier asked.

“For the furnace, dummy,” she said poking him gently in the ribs. “Let me buy your breakfast today.”

Bucky advised, “That’s really not necessary.”

“Well, it is for _me,”_ she urged.

“This is half my day, so I’ve already had breakfast.”

“Yeah, you soldiers are early risers. So, come watch _me_ eat,” suggested the lovely brunette.

Laughing, Bucky gave it some thought and relented.

“Well, okay,” he agreed. “Thanks,” he said as the vendor handed him his bag of plums along with his change.

Turning again to Darcy, he asked, “Where to?”

“There’s a diner on the next block. Let’s go there,” she suggested leading the way.

As the two began to walk, Darcy zipped her brown jacket and put her hands into her pockets.

“You know, Mr. Higgins was pretty impressed with you,” she said watching her step without looking up at her companion.

“Mr. Higgins?”

“My ‘super,’” she reminded him. Laughing, she confessed, “He said you were a bit ‘intense.’”

“Oh, yeah?” the soldier asked reflectively.

Approaching the entrance of Jules’ Diner, Bucky opened the door and allowed Darcy walk in ahead of him. As she entered, she heard a familiar voice.

“Hey, ‘Darce!’ How’s it going, girl?” a waitress exclaimed.

“Mel! Great to see you. I didn’t know you were working today,” Darcy replied.

The tall blonde waitress froze as she noticed Bucky.

He stared at her for a moment and then looked around the restaurant counting windows, doors, and patrons.

Pulling Darcy a few steps away, the waitress whispered, “Girl, who is that handsome stud?”

“He’s...a friend.”

“Honey, you’ve been holding out on me! Are you doing him?” she pressed.

“What? No! Well...no!” Darcy protested.

“Great! Then introduce me!”

Turning to Bucky, Darcy approached him.

“Uh...this is my friend Melanie. Mel, this is...”

“‘Wolf,’” he replied.

“Nice to meet you, Wolf,” Melanie cooed. “You can sit wherever you like. I’ll bring your menus.”

Placing his bag of plums on a table, Bucky sat with his back to the wall so that he could face the door. Darcy joined him and after removing her jacket, she sat across from him.

Approaching the two, Melanie handed a menu to each of them.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to decide,” she said.

Bucky watched the waitress walk away and as Darcy perused the menu, he excused himself.

“I’ll be right back,” he said as he rose from the table.

When he saw Melanie, he grabbed her left arm and pulled her out of Darcy’s sight.

“Hey! You don’t waste any time, do you, Wolf?” she remarked thinking that the encounter was a romantic overture.

Pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, Bucky moved so close to her that she could feel his breath against her face as he spoke.

“Darcy thinks she’s gonna pay, but she’s not,” he said giving $40 to her. “You tell her that the food is ‘on the house.’”

Melanie felt herself stop breathing and her eyes grew wide as she stared intently at him. There was suddenly something very frightening about him, and she could not speak.

“Do you understand?” he asked when she did not respond.

She began to nod her head vigorously.

Bucky turned to walk away but then abruptly stopped and turned back to her.

“Oh, and I don’t want her to worry about the cost, so I’m going to order two eggs but you bring me four...and keep the change,” the soldier advised. He turned once again and returned to his table.

When Melanie was finally able to breathe again, she walked to an ice chest and plunged two tumblers into the cubes.

“Who’s that with Darcy? He’s gorgeous!” a redheaded coworker exclaimed.

“I don’t think you really want to know. He’s kind of...intense,” Melanie retorted as she poured water into the tumblers and then turned to walk back to the couple’s table.

Placing the ice water in front of them, she asked, “What can I get for you two?”

“Well, my taste buds say Eggs Benedict, but I guess I’ll have a cheese omelet and wheat toast,” Darcy said.

“Why don’t you get what you really want?” Bucky asked.

“Nah...I’m good,” she replied.

Bucky and Melanie stared at one another for a moment, and then she asked, “...and for you?”

“I’ll have two eggs sunny side up, two sausages, and wheat toast,” he replied never taking his eyes off of her.

“Coming right up,” she said as she took their menus and walked toward the kitchen.

“Thanks for coming here,” Darcy said.

“My pleasure,” he replied. “So, your furnace is working okay now?”

“Yeah! It’s great thanks to you,” she chirped and smiled broadly.

“Good,” he replied glad to know that her apartment was no longer cold.

“You were at the farmer’s market. So, does that mean you live around here?” she asked inquisitively.

Bucky grinned at her but did not respond.

“Yeah, I guess if you told me, it wouldn’t be a secret, would it?”

“No, it wouldn’t,” he replied with a sharp laugh.

Hearing the music on the sound system, Darcy suddenly remarked, “Hey, I love this song!”

Listening for a moment, Bucky smiled fondly and said, “You’re not old enough to know ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.’”

“‘The Divine Miss M?’ Of _course_ I know it!”

“Who?” Bucky asked.

“Bette Midler,” she clarified.

“...Who?” he asked again.

“How could you know that song but not know Bette Midler?”

“When I was in the army, the Andrews Sisters sang it.”

“Really?” she remarked. “Well, ya learn somethin’ new every day.”

Just then, Melanie returned with their food. As she placed a plate in front of Darcy, the brunette’s eyes opened wide.

“Mel! I didn’t order the Eggs Benny!” she exclaimed.

“It’s on the house,” Melanie said cheerfully. “And here are your eggs, Wolf,” she said placing a plate in front of Bucky.

He looked down at the four sunny side up eggs and smiled at Melanie.

“Let me know if you need anything else,” she offered before going to tend to other customers.

“Thanks, Mel!” chirped Darcy. Then, picking up her knife and fork, she gushed, “Man, things are going great! I got my favorite breakfast, my furnace works, and...” she trailed off as she stopped and looked at Bucky who quietly stared back at her.

After a pause, she said, “You know, my super thought you were my ‘main squeeze.’”

“Yur wud?” Bucky asked with his mouth full of food.

“‘Main squeeze.’ You never heard that before?”

Bucky shook his head from side to side.

“My boyfriend,” she explained.

He stopped chewing and stared at her for a long moment.

Darcy became uncomfortable thinking that Bucky was offended by the idea of being mistaken for her beau.

He swallowed and when he finally spoke, he confessed, “You know, Darcy, sometimes I think we’re speaking two different languages.”

“Yeah...maybe so,” she replied quietly.

He startled her when he suddenly reached across the table and cupping her chin in his right hand, he gently wiped away Hollandaise sauce with his thumb.

Darcy blushed as she said, “Thanks.”

The two ate the remainder of their meals in silence. When they were finished, Melanie returned.

“Can I get you guys anything else?” she asked with food stains on her blue uniform.

“No, you’ve done enough, Mel. Thanks so much!” Darcy chirped as she and Bucky stood.

Hugging her friend, Melanie looked at Bucky who winked at her.

“Give me a call. Let’s get together for coffee or a beer soon,” she said.

“I will! Take care,” agreed Darcy.

“See you around, Wolf,” Melanie called as Bucky opened the door for Darcy.

“Bye. Thank you,” he said.

As they stepped outside, Darcy suddenly became animated.

“Hey! I forgot that lady with the flowers is at the farmer’s market today. You can get some pretty sweet stuff for a little bit of coin.”

Looking puzzled for a moment, Bucky finally said, “You mean cash? Yeah, two different languages.”

“Come on, silly,” she urged and gently jabbed him in the ribs.

When they reached the flower vendor’s stall, Darcy greeted the lady and began to sniff the colorful bouquets. Bucky stood on her left and watched her with interest. Soon, a young man slowly sauntered over and stood next to her on her right side.

Suddenly, Darcy yelped, “Hey!” and turned toward the young man.

“What’s wrong?” asked a concerned Bucky.

“That jerk just grabbed my ass!” she exclaimed reaching into her pocket to retrieve her Taser.

Trading places with her, Bucky quickly grasped her wrist with his left hand and held it firmly at her right side. With his right hand, he grabbed the young man by his collar and pulled him close.

“You owe this young lady an apology, pal,” the soldier advised sternly.

“Fuck you, man!” he snapped.

Glaring at him, Bucky growled, “I said apologize!”

The young man glared at Bucky for a moment before his blood started to run cold. The soldier’s merciless stare told him that Bucky was not a man to be dismissed.

Without looking away from Bucky, he offered, “S-sorry.”

“‘Sorry’ _what?”_

“S-sorry, Miss.”

Bucky released the young man’s collar and advised, “Now, get lost!”

Turning, the young man quickly strode away without looking back.

“Aw, man! You should’ve let me tase him. ‘Sparky’ would’ve lit him up like a Christmas tree!” she exclaimed still holding her Taser.

“No more Christmas trees! Put that thing away. Why are you so trigger happy, anyway?” he queried.

 _“‘Trigger happy?’_ This is New York – a dangerous place! We’ve got ugly Chitari falling from the sky, Asgardians with daddy issues duking it out, people grabbing other people’s butts...This place is crazy! A girl’s got to protect herself, which I was doing until you stepped in. I can take care of myself, you know.”

Bucky pondered that thought and then his mind started to wander as he watched the wind gently blew her long brown hair into her face. It occurred to him that he really did enjoy her company.

“Are you listening to me, Winter?”

“Yeah, I’m listening,” he replied suddenly focusing his attention.

Just then, his cell phone buzzed to indicate that he received a text message.

“Excuse me,” he said as he read it.

Darcy glanced around at passersby while she waited for him to finish.

“Sorry. I gotta go,” he finally said. “Let me walk you home.”

“No need. I just live over there,” she said waving a hand at her apartment building a block away.

“I’d feel better if I at least saw you to the front door. Come on – humor me.”

“Okay, okay,” she reluctantly agreed and the two strode in that direction.

When they reached her building, Darcy climbed to the top step and turned to face Bucky who stood on the step below hers.

He gently put his right hand on the left side of her waist and kissed her on her forehead.

“Bye, ‘Sparky,’ he joked and then turned to walk away.

“See ya ‘round, ‘Wolf,’” she replied.

She stood there watching him walk into the crowd of the farmer’s market. When she could no longer see him, she turned and entered the building.

“Exiting the ‘Friend Zone,’” she said proudly as she closed the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky Barnes acts on a whim which yields unexpected consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> © 2018 Planet Press
> 
> The Marvel characters herein are the property of Marvel Comics which retains the rights. The character of Mr. Higgins is a creation of this author.

Bucky rode down the street on his Harley motorcycle with his black helmet shielding his face from the wind which was blowing strongly under a cloudless sky.

When he finally parked his bike in front of an apartment building, he dismounted and removed the helmet. The front and sides of his hair were bound in a bun while the back blew freely in the breeze. Only a strand at the front was loose and fell casually over his left eye.

Looking up and down the street, Bucky unzipped his black leather jacket, opened a compartment on his bike, and pulled out a small brown paper bag. Climbing the apartment building’s steps two at a time, he approached the front door and pressed a button on the call box.

In her apartment upstairs, Darcy Lewis sat on her blue sofa wearing a faded New York Rangers t-shirt, SpongeBob SquarePants pajama bottoms, and oversized white bunny slippers. She was eating a bowl of Grape Nuts while watching a “Three Stooges” marathon when her door buzzer sounded.

Placing her cereal bowl on the coffee table, she walked to her call box and answered.

“Hello?” she asked looking back at the TV.

“Hey, it’s me,” Bucky said.

“Who?” she wondered.

 _“‘Winter,’”_   he replied.

“...Oh, hey! What are you doing here?” she asked inquiringly.

“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”

Looking down at her attire, Darcy hesitated.

“...Uh…”

“Is this a bad time?” the soldier asked looking up and down the street again.

‘Shit!’ she mouthed as she suddenly became animated.

“No! I’ll buzz you in,” she offered and immediately pressed the button.

Running to the coffee table, she picked up the cereal bowl and dashed to the kitchen where she hastily deposited it in the sink before racing to her bedroom. Standing in the doorway, she placed her left hand on the doorjamb for balance and kicked her right leg waist high. Her right slipper sailed through the air and struck a small accent lamp atop her chest of drawers in the far corner.

“Shit!” she hissed again.

Kicking off the left slipper, she watched it land next to its mate. She quickly pulled her t-shirt over her head and then stepped out of her pajama bottoms. Throwing them into her closet, she slammed the door shut.

Darcy hurriedly opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with “The Clash” emblazoned across it. Dressing quickly, she raced back to the living room, grabbed the remote control, and turned off the TV just as Bucky knocked on her door a second time.

“Hi! Come on in,” Darcy greeted him trying not to sound winded.

“Thanks,” he replied stepping past her to enter the apartment.

“Whatcha got there, Winter?” she wondered looking at the bag in his left hand.

“I brought you some plums,” he said with a smirk as he handed her the bag. “This way, you don’t have to steal them.”

“Hey, I didn’t steal your plums,” the lovely brunette advised. “I was just messing with you, but I’ll take these all the same,” she remarked as she took the bag to her petite kitchen.

“So, what brings you to this ‘neck of the woods,’ Winter?” she asked as she washed the plums.

Removing his jacket, Bucky hung it on a hook next to the door and then joined her in the kitchen.

“I just wondered if you’d like to go see a movie with me. That’s unless you’ve got other plans.”

“No, I was just doing a little research for my boss, Jane,” she fibbed. “A movie, huh? What’d you have in mind?” she asked handing him a plum as she took a bite out of one herself.

“They’re showing Cocteau’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at the Fremont Theatre.”

“Oh, wow! How did you know I like Cocteau?” she asked curiously. She also wondered how a World War II veteran born in Shelbyville, Indiana might have a taste for the French poet and playwright but assumed that perhaps he had become acquainted with the writer as a young soldier stationed in France during the war.

“I saw that worn book about Cocteau on your bookshelf the last time I was here. I thought ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was appropriate for us,” he said half-jokingly.

Darcy’s heart sank as Bucky bowed his head and looked down at the floor. She disliked his self-deprecating remarks because he did not see the good in himself. She decided to lighten the mood.

“Appropriate?” she asked feigning offense. “I’m not _that_ beastly and I shaved my legs, so I’m not that hairy either!” she jested.

Bucky looked at her in shock. Then, howling with laughter, he said, “No, I meant _I’m_ the Beast, silly!”

“Oh, don’t try to soften the blow,” she insisted. “I can’t be won over with a singing teapot.”

“It’s not the _cartoon_ movie,” he reminded her.

Darcy admired how boyish the handsome soldier appeared when he smiled, and she was glad that she was able to change his mood.

“What time is the screening?” she asked throwing away her plum’s pit and extending her hand for Bucky’s.

“In about an hour,” he advised looking at his watch.

“Great!” she chirped. “I’ll get ready so we can get going.”

Darcy went to her bedroom and put on a pair of black socks and brown booties.

Returning to her living room, she froze when she saw what Bucky was doing.

Not knowing how long it would take her to get ready, he had picked up her TV’s remote control, turned on the TV, and was watching the last program that she viewed.

As the Three Stooges continued to slap each other, Darcy uncomfortably bit her bottom lip and could not look Bucky in the eye.

 _“‘Research,’_   huh?” he laughed.

“Shut up and grab your coat!” she barked turning toward the door and putting on her brown parka.

Bucky turned off the TV and put down the remote. As he joined her at the door, he smiled down at her suspiciously. Grabbing her nose between the knuckles of his bent right index and middle fingers, he slapped his right hand with his left in the manner that bossy Stooge Moe Howard often did to his costars.

“Cut it out, you jerk!” she laughed and punched Bucky lightly in the ribs.

He put her in a headlock and opened the door.

“Okay, let’s go,” he quipped dragging her out into the hallway.

“Quit it!” Darcy wailed.

Releasing her from his grip, Bucky reached back, grabbed his jacket, and closed the door behind them.

The two were startled to see Darcy’s superintendent standing in front of them watching the couple curiously.

“Oh! Hi, Mr. Higgins,” Darcy exclaimed with surprise.

“Miss Lewis,” he replied with a nod. “You and your beau doing something fun today?”

“Oh, he’s not my – ”

“I’m taking her to a movie...Jean Cocteau,” Bucky interrupted.

Mr. Higgins stared at the soldier cluelessly.

“Well, you kids have fun,” the elderly man remarked as he proceeded down the hall.

 _‘Kids?’_   Bucky thought. ‘I’m older that _he_ is...’

As the two descended the stairs, Darcy spotted Bucky’s motorcycle and knew it had to be his.

“Wow! She’s a beauty. What’s her name?”

“This is Winifred,” he replied proudly.

“Why Winifred?”

“That’s my mom’s name,” the soldier replied evenly.

Quietly, Darcy remarked, “Oh...it’s a lovely name.”

Bucky handed his helmet to her before he straddled the bike. Once he was on it, Darcy climbed on behind him.

When he started the engine, she wrapped her arms around his waist. As he pulled into traffic, she gently rested her head against his muscular back. She felt safe embracing the most lethal man on the planet and could not resist occasionally watching his long mane blow in the wind.

At a red light, an SUV carrying three young women pulled up next to Bucky’s motorcycle. The women turned and stared at the soldier enchanted by his rugged handsomeness. While Bucky’s attention was on traffic and the signal, Darcy was amused by the effect that her companion was having on the car’s passengers.

Just as the light turned green, the young woman in the front passenger seat looked at Darcy and gave her a thumbs up. Darcy smiled broadly at the woman’s approval before the bike sped away.

When Bucky finally parked across the street from the theatre, he asked, “That wasn’t too bad, was it?” not sure if Darcy had ever ridden a motorcycle before.

Trying not to sound overly emphatic, she replied, “I loved it,” disappointed that their ride had come to an end.

“You can leave the helmet on the bike,” he suggested.

Looking at him oddly, Darcy wondered, “Are you sure? Won’t someone steal it?”

“Not so far,” he replied with a shrug.

Taking her by the hand, he led her across the busy street being careful to watch the oncoming cars.

The line at the free-standing box office was short and as they waited, Bucky stood behind Darcy. When a group of rowdy young men strode by, he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close against him. Once again, she felt safe knowing that he would let no harm come to her.

When they reached the box office window, Darcy spoke to the cashier.

“One adult and one senior citizen, please,” she joked.

“Hey!” Bucky exclaimed giving her a slight shove. “She’s just kidding,” he said to the young man in the booth who looked curiously from Darcy to Bucky and back again.

“Make that one adult and one child,” he advised.

“Hey, that’s not funny!” Darcy said giving Bucky a sharp jab in the ribs.

“Okay! Okay! Two adults, please,” he laughed. The young man failed to see their humor and rang up their purchase with a blank expression.

“That’ll be $20,” he said to the soldier.

Bucky placed a bill on the counter and slid it under the gap in the window. Taking the tickets with his right hand, he clasped Darcy’s right hand with his left and led her into the Art Deco theatre.

“I love these old buildings,” she cooed as they strode toward the concessions stand.

‘Old?’ Bucky thought as he looked around. The 1920s style of the theatre reminded him of his childhood and made him miss the days when he was sometimes able to scrape together enough money to treat his best friend Steve Rogers to a Saturday matinee to watch a western serial or monster movie. The décor did not seem old to him but he realized that it would to someone in her early twenties such as Darcy.

As they approached the counter, Bucky said, “Get whatever you want,” to his lovely companion.

“Yes!” she exclaimed almost inaudibly. “We’ll have a bucket of popcorn, two Cokes, and a pack of Twizzlers, please,” she ordered from the blonde at the counter.

“No, make that one Coke and one large water,” Bucky instructed the blonde.

“Oh, _you’re_ no fun,” Darcy said looking at him over her glasses as the young woman left to get their snacks.

“Yeah, and I’m no teenager, either. You just ordered a bucket of carbs, a package of sugar, and plan to wash that down with 16 ounces of _more_ sugar,” Bucky observed.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing, Winter,” Darcy replied batting her eyelashes at him. “What are you afraid of? Just hit the gym hard tomorrow. You’ll work it off in no time.”

“In about ten years when your metabolism slows down, ‘Just hitting the gym tomorrow’ will be more of a challenge than you think.”

“Don’t judge me,” she laughed. “You soldiers make it all look so easy.”

 _“‘Easy?’”_   Bucky exclaimed. “I work out 4 hours a day. That’s not _‘easy.’”_

“Especially not at your age,” she laughed. 

“It’s called drive and determination,” he declared.

Smiling, Darcy mumbled, “And we’re all grateful for the results.”

“What?” Bucky asked.

“Oh, nothing,” she said looking away.

As they continued to wait, Bucky noticed that three women standing nearby were staring at him. He watched them for a few moments out of the corner of his eye. Finally, he turned to Darcy.

“Hey, ‘Sparky’?”

“Yeah?” Darcy replied.

“You see those girls over there?”

“Where?” she asked.

“Three o’clock.”

Darcy casually glanced around the lobby before looking at the girls.

“Yeah, what about them?”

“They’ve been staring at me, You think they recognize me?”

“Yeah because girls like that are privy to what goes on in the intelligence community,” Darcy remarked sarcastically. “They’re gonna turn your ass in for a reward.”

“Okay, maybe I’m just being paranoid,” he admitted.

“Ignore those girls, They’re just thirsty.”

Bucky looked at the young women and then at the drink dispenser behind the snack counter wondering how Darcy could tell that they were thirsty.

Seeing this, Darcy asked, “Remember when you said we often speak two different languages?”

“...Yeah.”

“Well, this is one of those times, Winter,” she said. “It means they’re horny...you know...‘got the hots’ for you.”

Bucky stared at Darcy for a long moment. He had not given any thought to his appearance in that way since before he was captured by Hydra during World War II. Ever since he regained his memories, he had seen himself as a monster and avoided mirrors except for shaving, which he did infrequently.

With the thought of Darcy’s comment still on his mind, he became very quiet as he wondered if she were joking again.

When the cashier returned with their snacks, Bucky paid her. He slipped his bottle of water into the pocket of his jacket and picked up the bucket of popcorn.

“Hey, don’t forget your sugar ‘ropes’ and sugar water,” he teased as Darcy picked up her Coke and package of Twizzlers.

“Ha ha! Life would be so boring without you, grandpa,” she replied.

Bucky held the door for Darcy and let her choose their seats in the middle of a row near the center of the theatre.

After they were seated, Darcy said, “Sorry! I need to go to the ladies’ room before the movie starts,” and rose from her seat.

“So, is _‘powdering your nose?’_ not a thing anymore?” teased the soldier.

“Shut up,” she scolded jokingly. “Don’t eat all my carbs before I get back,” she advised pointing to the tub of popcorn.

“Not a chance.”

As Darcy made her way up the aisle, Bucky made himself comfortable. Gazing at the orchestra pit where the organ was kept and played on special occasions, he remembered the fun that he and Steve had on their trips to see movies and the foreign correspondent clips which accompanied them.

While in the restroom stall, Darcy heard two young women enter to touch up their makeup at the mirror.

“Did you see that hot guy with the bun and the biker jacket out in the lobby?” one girl asked her companion excitedly.

“Girl, yeah!” the other replied. “He’s _totally_ bomb! He could rock my world all day and night.”

“Damn! He looks like he knows what’s up, but he’s with that frumpy chick. Talk about the odd couple!”

Darcy realized that the girls were talking about her and felt deflated. She looked down at her clothes but did not see what was so “frumpy” about her attire. She decided to peek through the crack between the stall door and the wall to see what the girls looked like.

Both girls had long straight hair. One had streaked hers with blonde highlights while the other had streaked hers magenta. Both wore tight fitting jeans, expensive looking wedged shoes, baby doll tees, and waist-length denim jackets.

‘They look like throwbacks to the 1980s,’ Darcy thought. ‘No wonder they think I look frumpy.’

The girl with the blonde highlights decided, “Let’s go sit near that dude and show him what he’s missing out on.” Her companion agreed.

Darcy waited until the girls left before she came out of her stall. She looked at herself in the mirror and compared herself to them.

‘They’re probably right,’ she thought. ‘Why would a gorgeous guy like Winter want a plain girl like me?’

Looking at the soft wave in her long brown hair, she thought, ‘Well, my hair’s not that bad. Maybe I should wear contact lenses. They say guys don’t like girls who look too smart. My figure’s not awful, but maybe I should wear more form-fitting clothes…’

After thinking about it for a few more moments, Darcy came to a realization.

‘I am who I am, and that’s good enough!’ she told herself. ‘People like me, and I shouldn’t let shallow people make me feel bad about myself. Winter has always accepted me the way I am, and if other people don’t, that’s just too bad!’

Darcy washed and dried her hands. She then stood up straight, held her head high, stepped out of the restroom, and returned to the lobby.

As she entered the theatre, she saw that the two girls from the restroom were sitting directly in front of Bucky and were both turned around in their seats talking to him.

“Hi!” the girl with the blonde highlights said to him.

Bucky stared at her but did not respond.

“Have you seen this movie before?” asked the girl with red highlights.

“Mo,” he said mispronouncing the word “No” with his mouth full of popcorn.

“Do you like musicals? I can’t wait to see the part when the teapot sings!” the girl with the blonde highlights remarked.

Bucky stopped chewing and stared at them oddly.

‘This is the _art_  film, isn’t it?’ he wondered.

Then, he remembered what Darcy said about the other girls in the lobby and wondered if these two girls were “thirsty” as well. He noticed that they did not have drinks and was about to ask them about it when Darcy arrived.

“Hey! I see you started without me,” she quipped as she sat down next to Bucky.

The two girls sneered at her and then faced forward in their seats.

Embarrassed that he had been munching on her popcorn after admonishing her for ordering it, Bucky swallowed what he had in his mouth and smiled at her apologetically.

Placing his left ankle atop his right knee, he balanced the bucket in the space between his thighs and left calf so that Darcy could help herself. When she struggled to open her soda, he took it from her, held the bottle in his left hand, twisted off its cap, and handed it back to her – all without saying a word.

“Thanks, Winter,” she cooed appreciatively.

“Don’t mention it,” the soldier replied with a wink.

“How did you do that without squeezing too tight?” she whispered to him as the lights began to dim.

“Seventy years of practice,” he advised looking up at the screen.

A few moment after the film started, the girl with the blonde highlights asked, “Hey! What is this? Is this movie in black and white?”

Bucky and Darcy stared at her and then looked at each other bemused.

“Are they kidding? This can’t be right!” the girl’s companion exclaimed. “They put the wrong film on!”

Unable to contain their laughter, Bucky and Darcy watched as the two young women rose and stormed up the aisle toward the lobby.

“I guess they’re not Cocteau fans,” Darcy whispered in the dark.

“Nope,” Bucky agreed.

Returning their attention to the screen, the two continued to munch on the popcorn. A few times, Bucky stole sideways glances at Darcy and admired how the illuminated screen gave her face a lovely glow.

Since there was no sensation in his left arm, he did not notice when she eventually rested her head on his left shoulder.

When the film ended, Darcy clapped happily and turned to Bucky.

“That was awesome, Winter!” she chirped smiling broadly.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” he replied sincerely.

As the two entered the lobby, Bucky walked toward a tall trash can.

“Hey! Don’t toss that!” Darcy exclaimed just as he was about to place the tub and its uneaten contents into the can.

“Why not?” the soldier wondered.

“I love stale popcorn. I can eat that tomorrow,” she advised.

Bucky smiled in amazement. Then, after giving it a moment of thought, he reminded himself that scientist Jane Foster could only afford to pay Darcy very little in salary. He realized that perhaps the stale popcorn would mean that Darcy would not go hungry the next day.

“Sorry,” he said and then approached the concessions counter.

Getting the attention of the blonde who had served them earlier, Bucky asked, “Could you please put this in a bag?”

“Sure,” the girl replied and then shook the remainder of the popcorn into a large bag.

“Thank you,” he said and then handed the bag to Darcy. “Easier for you to carry,” he advised her with a smile.

“Aw...thanks, Winter,” she said with a grateful grin.

The two strolled through the lobby in silence. When they reached his motorcycle, Bucky placed his helmet on Darcy’s head and secured the chin strap. After he straddled the bike, she climbed on, wrapped her right arm around his waist, and hugged her bag of popcorn tightly.

Along the way, Darcy thought about Bucky and wondered how much she really knew about him. She knew that within the superhuman community, everyone knew that he had been a soldier during World War II. He was captured by Hydra and tortured, experimented on, brainwashed, and turned into the world’s deadliest assassin.

What Darcy did not know were the more secretive details of his life. ‘Where does he live? He doesn’t work for S.H.I.E.L.D., so who _does_ he work for? Does he have any family left alive? Does he have nightmares from his past as an assassin and if so, how does he cope with them?’ and on a personal note, ‘What does he think of me?’ She had so many questions but dared not ask.

When Bucky’s motorcycle came to a stop in front of her building, Darcy was disappointed that the ride was over but tried not to show it.

As they climbed the steps, Darcy said, “Thanks again for the movie, Winter.”

“My pleasure, Sparky,” he replied smiling down at her.

They quietly climbed the stairs to Darcy’s apartment and stood outside her door for a few moments. She tried not to make eye contact, but the soldier stared at her with his large blue eyes unblinking.

“So...” she said staring down at the popcorn. “Would you...like to hang out?” she asked eventually looking up at him with her brown eyes.

“Yeah, I’d kinda like that,” he admitted earnestly.

Darcy then opened the door and he slowly followed her inside.

While Bucky removed his leather jacket and placed it on the hook by the door, Darcy went to her small kitchen, removed a large zippered plastic bag from a cabinet, emptied the popcorn into it and sealed it.

When she returned to where he stood near the door, she placed her purse and keys on the side table and removed her Taser from the pocket of her jacket.

Frowning, Bucky advised, “Give that thing to me before you hurt someone.”

“That’s the idea, isn’t it?” Darcy asked as she pulled it away from his outstretched hand.

“I mean it!” he insisted as he grabbed it.

“No!” she snapped as he tried to snatch it out of her hand.

As she accidentally triggered it, she saw Bucky’s blue eyes suddenly widen as a startled expression flashed on his face.

“UH!” he yelped before his eyes rolled back in their sockets and his lifeless body hit the floor.

“Oh, my God! WINTER!” she yelled as she dropped the Taser and knelt next to him.

Placing her right hand on his muscular stomach, she shook him a few times urgently.

“Winter? Winter? Answer me! Are you okay? Geez...why do I keep screwing up with you?” she lamented.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Bucky’s eyes began to move back and forth behind his eyelids slowly at first and then more rapidly. As he regained consciousness, he felt the dull pain of a headache. He opened his eyes halfway and looked up at Darcy.

“Hmm...” he moaned.

“Winter? You’re awake!” yelped Darcy greatly relieved.

“How long was I out?” he asked not yet attempting to move.

“About 30 minutes. I’m so sorry I Tased you! It was an accident.”

“It better have been,” he joked but neither of them laughed.

“I’m sorry you’re still on the floor, but I couldn’t lift you,” she admitted looking at the section of his hair which cascaded over the small pillow that she had placed under his head to make him more comfortable.

“That’s okay. Are you all right?” he wondered.

Darcy was shocked.

“Wait...I Tased you and you’re asking if _I’m_ okay? What _are_ you – a saint or something?”

“Far from it,” he said and gave her a half smile.

“Do you think you can sit up?” she asked with concern.

“I can try,” he said shifting to his right side and putting his weight on his right forearm.

“Oh, my God!” Darcy yelped.

“What?’ asked Bucky suddenly opening his eyes widely.

“Your arm...” she said pointing to his cybernetic left arm.

Turning his head and looking down at it, he saw that the cloaking device had deactivated and his arm was now shiny silver metal instead of simulated flesh.

“The shock must have turned off my cloaking device.”

“I hope I didn’t break it,” Darcy said feeling even guiltier. “Can I help you up?”

Holding his left arm, she allowed him to shift some of his weight onto her.

“Take it slowly,” she advised as he stood and walked to her sofa. “Let me get you some water,” she offered.

Bucky let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, I’m gonna need something stronger than that.”

Remembering that she had a few beers in the refrigerator, she made Bucky comfortable before going to the kitchen to get one for him. Returning with the cold beer, she removed the cap and handed the bottle to him.

“Thanks, Sparky.” He took a long swig and then looked up at her. “What – am I drinking alone?” he asked noticing that she did not have a bottle of her own.

“Well, I guess I could use one, too,” she admitted with a wry smile.

Returning with a beer, she sat next to Bucky on the sofa and watched as he held the cold bottle against the burned skin on his hand where he had been Tased.

“I’m so sorry,” she said almost on the verge of tears.

“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Darcy.”

“Yeah, I do. I keep screwing up with you. First, I pressed that button on your neck and deactivated your arm. Now, I Tased you. You’ll probably never speak to me again after today.”

Smiling, he replied, “You can’t get rid of me that easy. Like you said – it was an accident.”

Grateful that he was not angry, Darcy smiled and clinked her beer bottle against his.

“Skål,” [Cheers] she said quietly.

“Za zdorov'ye,” [For health] he replied in Russian and took another swig.

He placed the bottle on the coffee table and using his right hand, he pulled the elastic band which held his hair in a bun.

As Bucky’s long mane cascaded over his face, Darcy looked on in wonder. It was hard for her to believe that the kind, forgiving, handsome young man sitting next to her was the ruthless murderer who the intelligence community feared and sought for over seventy years.

Deciding to check his arm, Bucky pulled the sleeve of his black t-shirt up to his shoulder. As he made a fist, the arm’s plates rhythmically opened and snapped shut over and over again.

“Seems to be okay,” he said approvingly before releasing the sleeve and letting it fall over his upper arm again. He then rubbed his forehead and moaned.

“You want an aspirin?” she asked.

“Two, please,” he whispered.

She went to the bathroom and brought back a bottle of pills from the medicine chest.

“That must be _some_ headache,” she remarked.

“You have no idea. Still, it’s not as bad as the pain from getting my mind wiped,” he confessed. “Thanks for these,” he said as he took the pills from her.

“Just relax,” she advised. Standing, she offered, “Here...put your feet up.”

Not feeling well enough to argue, Bucky removed his boots and put his feet on the other end of the sofa.

As he reclined, Darcy slipped a pillow under his head and took her beer to the kitchen. From there, she watched the soldier close his eyes and rest.

*  *  *  *  *  *

When Bucky opened his eyes again, the living room was bright as the sun cast light through the sheer white curtains. He moaned as he looked around the room with his head still aching dully. Sitting up slowly, he tried to determine where he was and then realized that he was still in Darcy’s apartment.

He needed to urinate, so he carefully rose and crept toward the bathroom. Although he heard the shower running, he nonetheless entered and lifted the toilet seat.

Just as he began to relieve himself, Darcy turned off the water and drew back the shower curtain.

“Holy shit!” she screamed startled to see him standing there. She grasped the curtain and pulled it in front of her. “You scared the hell out of me!”

“Sorry! I really had to go,” he explained as he continued to urinate.

Darcy pulled the curtain back across the tub and waited for Bucky to finish. When he did, he quickly washed and dried his hands. Then, he took a clean bath towel from the rack next to the tub and reached around the curtain to hand it to her blindly.

“Sorry,” he said again and left the bathroom.

Wrapping the towel around herself, Darcy stepped out of the tub and began to dry off.

‘He seemed more embarrassed than I was,’ she laughed to herself.

As Darcy dressed in her bedroom, she asked, “How are you feeling today?”

 _“‘Today’?”_   he wondered.

“Yeah. You slept all afternoon and all night,” she said.

“Wait...you mean I was here all night – as in _‘tomorrow is now today’?”_

Darcy thought for a moment and then said, “Yeah, I guess so. Yesterday I Tased you. You passed out and hit your head. You woke up and drank a beer. You went to sleep on my sofa and slept through the night.”

“What time is it?” he asked.

“It’s about 8:30 a.m.,” she estimated joining him in the living room now dressed in a light blue t‑shirt and jeans. Her bare feet were small and pale.

“I didn’t mean to impose,” he remarked looking up at her from where he sat on the sofa.

“Are you kidding? After yesterday, I’m lucky you’re not suing me right now,” she quipped. “Are you hungry? There’s not much other than beer and some cheese in the fridge, but I’ve got some stale popcorn...”

Smiling Bucky said, “I’m good. I should get going anyway.”

Saddened by the thought of his leaving, she asked, “Do you feel well enough to drive?”

“I guess,” he lied.

“Well, you can stay as long as you like. I’m gonna go to the market down the street and pick up a few things. I hope you’ll be here when I get back but if not, take care of yourself, Winter. I’ll see you around.”

Bucky gave it some thought but did not answer.

“Okay then...” said Darcy. She walked to her bedroom, put on some socks and brown boots, and returned to the living room. As the soldier sat watching her, she slipped into her jacket and slung her purse over her shoulder. She waited a moment for Bucky to say something, but he did not. Stepping into the hallway, she closed the door behind her.

As Bucky listened to her footsteps fade into the distance, he looked over at the little table next to the door and smiled at seeing that she had intentionally left her Taser behind.

Walking down the street, Darcy imagined that Bucky was already on his way home – wherever that was – and she became melancholy thinking that she might not see him again.

At the store, she had only intended to purchase a few items – milk, eggs, bagels, and cereal but by the time she reached the check stand, she quickly counted what was in her cart and realized that she had picked up too many items.

‘I’ll have to put most of this back,’ she thought as the checker began to ring up her purchase. Jane had not paid her in 3 weeks, and she was fairly certain that she could not afford most of what was on the conveyor belt.

“That’ll be $56.48,” the checker said flatly.

Darcy knew that she did not have enough money but decided to stall by digging in her purse. To her dismay, she found in her wallet five crisp $20 bills in addition to the crumpled $25 that she already had.

Elated, she stared at the money wondering, ‘Where the hell did this money come from?’

“That’s $56.48,” the checker repeated.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Darcy said and then handed her three $20 bills.

On her way home, she realized that Bucky must have somehow slipped the $100 into her wallet when she was not in the room.

‘The next time I see him, I’m gonna wring his neck for this,’ she decided. After a moment, she admitted, ‘No, I won’t.’

When Darcy returned to her apartment, she was shocked to see Bucky lying on her sofa watching the news on TV.

“You’re still here!” she exclaimed.

Smiling, he asked, “You don’t mind do you?” He enjoyed being there, and it was a welcomed change from his tiny, dark apartment several blocks away.

“No! I mean...no, of course not,” she fumbled.

Rising, he offered, “Let me help you with those bags.”

For a moment, she thought about not mentioning the money, but she did not want him to think that she was ungrateful.

“You know...I want to thank you for what you did. I’ll repay you somehow.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said earnestly.

When his cell phone rang, they both looked disappointed.

Bucky pulled the phone out of the pocket of his jeans and gazed at the screen.

“Sorry, I need to take this call,” he said sadly.

“Sure,” she said and continued to put the groceries away while he stepped into the living room.

“Hello?...Yeah...” Looking at Darcy apologetically, he said, “No, I’m free...Where?...I can be there in 30 minutes...I can’t promise 20. I need to pick up some gear first...Fine. I’ll see you then.”

Darcy had no idea who had called him. Was it his friend Captain America? Was it a top secret spy agency? She had only known him a short while but in that time, Bucky always seemed to receive cryptic phone calls that made him drop everything and abruptly leave. Normally, he did not seem bothered about having to go, but today he seemed conflicted – perhaps even upset.

“Running off to save the world again?” she queried.

“Looks like it. Duty calls,” he said as he rubbed his forehead above his right eye.

‘Geez, the poor guy’s probably concussed and he still doesn’t get a day off,’ she noted.

“Well, I’ll keep an eye out for you on the evening news,” she joked.

“If you see me on the news, that means I’ve gotten sloppy,” he advised.

Darcy watched Bucky walk over to the door and remove his jacket from the hook. He slipped it on and stared at her for a moment as she stood in the kitchen.

He strode back over to her, put his hands on her waist, and gave her a tender kiss on the forehead.

Walking back to the door, he did not want to leave but knew he had to. With his hand on the knob, he paused for a moment before opening the door and closing it behind him.

Darcy knew she could never thank Bucky enough for all that he had done for her. He seemed to always be there when she needed him most. She had no idea when she would see him again but cherished the time they had spent together. He had truly become her guardian angel, her friend and hero.


End file.
